Reviews


LUCIUS PARR
We Got A Problem
PAU 1826593

Don't Talk To Me/Heartbroken/We Got A Problem/He Say-She Say/You Put A Spell On Me/You Ain't All That/Better Get Real/I Got Somebody Else/Know Your Lover/Let's Get Married/Don't Blame Me/Jesus Come Around Here
For his third album (preceded by Don't Yell At Me and Yoakum Texas Blues), guitarist Lucius Parr cooks up an alluring blend of crisp contemporary blues and old school soul, doing both genres proud in the process.
Possessing a warm, forceful vocal delivery well suited to his own compositions (he penned everything on the disc with brother and second vocalist Lamar Parr), Parr proves himself to be a concise, focused lead guitarist during several pointed solos. His support crew is top-notch as well; veteran harpist Bob Corritore supplies a hearty ride on the downbeat Heartbroken, while trumpeter Jessie McGuire shines on a funk-dripping Know Your Lover. Parr sounds especially confident on the brass-leavened up tempo strutters Don't Talk to Me, We Got a Problem, and You Ain't All That, dispenses some sage advice on an uncompromising Better Get Real, and rocks the house with a vengeful I Got Somebody Else. Though most of the set was laid down in Chandler, Arizona, portions of two tracks were done at Charles Richard Cason's Los Angeles facilities, and they mirror Cason's work with Malaco star Johnnie Taylor: the ballad He Say- She Say sports a bass-heavy, thoroughly up-to-date R&B sheen that's slightly at odds with the rest of this impressive collection.
--BILL DAHL

Lamar & Lucius Parr
"Don't Yell At Me"
(Do It Right PAU-1826593)

Lamar Parr ( who plays keyboards and sings) and brother Lucius (who plays just about everything else and sings) are cousins of the late blues great Albert Collins. The duo works out of Phoenix, Arizona, in a style that owes more to Z.Z. Hill than to their famous relative. Lucius is an accomplished writer, having contributed a couple of songs to Jimmy Dawkins' recent Ichiban album, and he penned all the material here as well as contributing some fine guitar work in a post B.B.King style. This is a solid effort that should lead to wider recognition for the Parrs.----JDK




Lucius Parr
Yoakum Texas Blues
Do It Right PAU-1826593


Lucius and Lamar Parr---Albert Collins' young Arizona cousins--are back with a follow-up to their 1995 debut CD for Do It Right. Like all good sophomore efforts, Yoakum Texas Blues represents a significant step forward. Lucius shows off his Collins influence most prominently on the title track, an instrumental shuffle, but his playing is featured on all but a couple of cuts. Lamar is an increasingly capable vocalist who sounds a bit like Lonnie Shields. These guys might have a tough act to follow within their own family, but they show every sign of making it on their own. This is a solid offering of contemporary blues that should help the Parrs move beyond regional exposure.

Jim DeKoster

Phoenix New Times Magazine
Lucius Parr
We Got a Problem

Lucius Parr's name often gets unfairly overlooked when the Valley's premier blues artists are listed, but anyone who's caught his tight combo knows that his talent is undeniable. Parr has first-rate credentials. He and his brother Lamar absorbed the blues as young kids in Texas, and took particular inspiration from their cousin, the late, legendary Albert Collins.

Parr's sound falls into the cracks between standard 12-bar blues and vintage soul music. It's a horn-driven uptown blues that shares much with the work of Robert Cray. On We Got a Problem, Parr's third CD, the guitarist-vocalist seems to find the perfect balance between his various influences.

The album opener, "Don't Talk to Me," is a funky, Stax-inspired dance tune that's a dead ringer for mid-'80s Cray. Parr's intuitive command of the form helps him avoid the slickness that sucks the life out of so many similar records. His snaky, single-note leads are always economical, serving the songs rather than overtaking them. His melodic runs on the ballad "You Put a Spell on Me" are particularly gorgeous.

The album's most infectious tune is the propulsive "You Ain't All That," a rave-up with a verse melody strongly reminiscent of the Marvin Gaye classic "Hitch Hike." Like many of the songs on the album, "You Ain't All That" is a musical wake-up call to a deceitful woman who's trying to take Lucius for a ride. Playing the man done wrong allows Parr, like Cray before him, to find a modern context for the blues, without falling back on the kind of sexual boasting that inevitably sounds anachronistic on the eve of the 21st century.

We Got a Problem is a well-crafted example of Parr's effortless eclecticism, which shows equal influence from Sam Cooke, Sam & Dave, and the great urban blues masters.

Gilbert Garcia

San Antonio Blues Society
Lucius Parr
We Got a Problem
Review by:
Sonny Boy Lee

Lucius Parr's third CD, We Got a Problem," is a 12-song collection of all original material, which is a rather unusual and very welcome departure from many contemporary blues albums. All of the songs were written by Lucius and his brother, Lamar. They handle all the vocals on the CD with ease, style and soul.
A fine blues guitarist in his own right, Lucius has found his own voice and doesn't make what might be the obvious attempt to mimic the style of his late cousin, Albert Collins. Only one track, "I Got Somebody Else," hints at Albert. It's a great shuffle with lots of guitar. Good job, Lucius!
Although the album bears Lucius' name, this is really an ensemble effort and Lucius makes sure everyone gets credit. On two tracks, "He Say, She Say" and "Let's Get Married," Richard Charles Cason of Malaca Records plays keyboards and adds his hip urban touch. James Tobin blows a fine sax solo on "You Ain't All That" and Jessie McGuire of Tower of Power takes a great trumpet ride on "Know Your Lover."
"You Ain't All That" is an up tempo, kick ass, in-yo'-face R&B song right out of the '60s. "Better Get Real" is a nice blues ballad, hinting at Ray Charles with very tasty guitar solos. "Heartbroken" is a great slow blues that kicks off with Lucius' guitar and has a nice harp solo in the middle. The title cut has a bass figure driving the song with horn interplay and guitar solos.
The album closes with a rousing and convincing gospel song, "Jesus Come Around Here."
This is one solid effort and well worth adding to your collection. Lucius leans upon many influences and uses them with taste and finesse.

The Blue Zone
Lucius and Lamar Parr
Yoakum Texas Blues
Review by:
RC

This 1996 release gives you what Texas is known for - a BIG dose of good old blues. With all of the songs written and arranged by Lucius Parr, it's amazing to me that I didn't find a "weak" song on this CD. With Lamar Parr singing those blues, Lucius playing them with great feeling and getting assistance from Les Paul Rogue, Tommy Washington, Mark "Mello" Mose, Rick "Boo Boo" Bogan, Michael Lyon, Jerry Donato, Wes Marshall, Jessie "The Great" McGuire, Bob Corritore and Chris Gough, it's no wonder they live up to the label "Do It Right Music". These guys do Do It Right and do it a lot, so The Thang To Do is get this CD!

The Blue Zone
Lucius Parr
We Got A Problem
Review by:
RC

This 1999 release by Lucius Parr says anything but "We Got A Problem". From start to finish this CD is really great - smooth, funky and fresh, this is another CD I could listen to over and over again. Like the Yoakum Texas Blues CD, I can't find a single weak song in this collection, but it's also a bit more diverse than the Yoakum CD as well. Using all of the solid musicians from the Yoakum CD, we get a chance to hear some new ones: Jackie Tutt, James Tobin and Richard Charles Cason. The music is fresh, yet it still has so much integrity at its core to give you true blues, funk and even some gospel on the tune Jesus Come Around Here. You caught this reviewer unaware Lucius - You Put A Spell On Me! - keep weaving that magic!